Emil Stepanek
Encyclopedia
Emil Stepanek was an Austria
n set designer and film architect.
, the son of a carpenter, and received a training in stage set construction, in which he worked for several years. Between 1916 and 1918 he had to perform military service. After the end of World War I
he returned to his work in theatres.
In 1919 he had his first contact with the film industry. In the years that followed he often worked with the renowned film architects Julius von Borsody
, Artur Berger
and Alexander Ferenczy, particularly on the epic films of Sascha-Film
directed by Alexander Korda
and Michael Curtiz
: Prinz und Bettelknabe (1920), Sodom und Gomorrha (1922), Die Sklavenkönigin (1924) and Salammbô (1924).
Stepanek remained in film set construction up to 1936, after which he worked in the area of executive film production. In 1944 he became director of the whole of set construction in the Rosenhügel Film Studios. On 12 April 1945, one day before the end of hostilities in World War II
in Vienna, he lost his life in unexplained circumstances.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n set designer and film architect.
Biography
Stepanek was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, the son of a carpenter, and received a training in stage set construction, in which he worked for several years. Between 1916 and 1918 he had to perform military service. After the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he returned to his work in theatres.
In 1919 he had his first contact with the film industry. In the years that followed he often worked with the renowned film architects Julius von Borsody
Julius von Borsody
Julius von Borsody was an Austrian film architect and one of the most employed set designers in the Austrian and German cinemas of the late silent and early sound film periods...
, Artur Berger
Artur Berger
Artur Semyonovich Berger was an Austrian-Soviet film architect and set designer. He was active in Austria between 1920 and 1936, during which time he worked on about 30 feature films...
and Alexander Ferenczy, particularly on the epic films of Sascha-Film
Sascha-Film
Sascha-Film, in full Sascha-Filmindustrie AG and from 1933 Tobis-Sascha-Filmindustrie AG, was the largest Austrian film production company of the silent film and early sound film period.-History:...
directed by Alexander Korda
Alexander Korda
Sir Alexander Korda was a Hungarian-born British producer and film director. He was a leading figure in the British film industry, the founder of London Films and the owner of British Lion Films, a film distributing company.-Life and career:The elder brother of filmmakers Zoltán Korda and Vincent...
and Michael Curtiz
Michael Curtiz
Michael Curtiz was an Academy award winning Hungarian-American film director. He had early creditsas Mihály Kertész and Michael Kertész...
: Prinz und Bettelknabe (1920), Sodom und Gomorrha (1922), Die Sklavenkönigin (1924) and Salammbô (1924).
Stepanek remained in film set construction up to 1936, after which he worked in the area of executive film production. In 1944 he became director of the whole of set construction in the Rosenhügel Film Studios. On 12 April 1945, one day before the end of hostilities in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Vienna, he lost his life in unexplained circumstances.
Filmography
- Prinz und Bettelknabe (Austria 1920, dir: Alexander KordaAlexander KordaSir Alexander Korda was a Hungarian-born British producer and film director. He was a leading figure in the British film industry, the founder of London Films and the owner of British Lion Films, a film distributing company.-Life and career:The elder brother of filmmakers Zoltán Korda and Vincent...
; film architecture with Artur BergerArtur BergerArtur Semyonovich Berger was an Austrian-Soviet film architect and set designer. He was active in Austria between 1920 and 1936, during which time he worked on about 30 feature films...
) - Eine versunkene Welt / Die Tragödie eines verschollenen Fürstensohnes (Austria 1922, dir: Alexander Korda)
- Sodom und Gomorrha (Austria 1922, dir: Michael CurtizMichael CurtizMichael Curtiz was an Academy award winning Hungarian-American film director. He had early creditsas Mihály Kertész and Michael Kertész...
; with Julius von BorsodyJulius von BorsodyJulius von Borsody was an Austrian film architect and one of the most employed set designers in the Austrian and German cinemas of the late silent and early sound film periods...
) - Die Sklavenkönigin (Austria 1924, dir: Michael Curtiz; with Artur Berger)
- SalammbôSalammbôSalammbô may refer to:*Salammbô , the original novel by Gustave Flaubert*Salammbô , an unfinished opera, based on Flaubert's novel, on which Modest Mussorgsky worked between 1863 and 1866...
(Austria/France 1924, dir: Pierre Marodon; with Artur Berger) - Champagner (Germany/UK/Austria 1928, dir: Géza von BolváryGéza von BolváryGéza von Bolváry was a Hungarian actor, screenwriter and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Austria.- Biography :...
; with Artur Berger) - Geld auf der Straße (Austria 1930, dir: Georg JacobyGeorg JacobyGeorg Jacoby was a German film director and screenwriter. He was married to Marika Rökk from 1940 until his death; the actress Gabriele Jacoby is their daughter.-Selected filmography:...
; with Hans Jacoby) - Die vom 17er Haus (Austria 1932, dir: Artur Berger; with Artur Berger)
- Scampolo, ein Kind der Straße (Germany 1932, dir: Hans SteinhoffHans SteinhoffHans Steinhoff was a German film director, best known for the films he made in the Nazi era. His most notable film was Ohm Krüger, for which he won the Mussolini Cup at the 1941 Venice Film Festival.-Filmography:*Hitlerjunge Quex...
) - Lumpenkavaliere (Austria 1932, dir: Carl BoeseCarl BoeseCarl Boese was a German film director, screenwriter and producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957.-Selected filmography:* The Golem: How He Came into the World * Paprika...
; with Artur Berger) - Madame wünscht keine Kinder (Germany 1933, dir: Hans Steinhoff)
- MaskeradeMaskerade (film)Maskerade , is an Austrian operetta film, and a classic of German language cinema. The exceptional script of this, a great example of the genre of the Wiener Film, was by Walter Reisch and Willi Forst, who also directed...
(Austria 1934, dir: Willi ForstWilli ForstWilli Forst, born Wilhelm Anton Frohs was an Austrian actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer and singer...
; with Oskar StrnadOskar StrnadOskar Strnad was an Austrian architect, sculptor, designer and set designer for films and theatres. Together with Josef Frank he was instrumental in creating the distinctive character of the Wiener Schule der Architektur...
) - G'schichten aus dem Wienerwald (Austria 1934, dir: Georg Jacoby)
- EpisodeEpisode (film)Episode is an Austrian film from 1935. It belongs to the popular Austrian light romantic comedy genre known as the Wiener Film, but also contains, for a film of this genre, unusually serious social comment. It was written and produced by Walter Reisch...
(Austria 1935, dir: Walter ReischWalter ReischWalter Reisch was an Austrian-born director and screenwriter. He also wrote lyrics to several songs featured in his films, one popular title is "Flieger, grüß mir die Sonne".-Selected filmography:...
) - Burgtheater (Austria 1936, dir: Willi Forst; with Kurt Herlth, Werner Schlichting)